Чужой
XIII
Heblinkedafewtimes,glaredatthemotionlesshulkofthemachine.’Damnyou.Goddamncompanymachine.’Heclimbedtohisfeet,kickedatthemetal.Itdidnotreact,laysupineandinnocentonthedeck.
LambertlookeduncertainlyfromParkertoRipley.’Willsomebodypleasetellmewhatthehell’sgoingon?’
’There’sonlyonewaytofindout.’Ripleycarefullysettheshocktubeaside,makingcertainitwaswithineasyreachincasetheyneededitquickly,andapproachedthebody.
’What’sthat?’Lambertasked.
RipleylookedoveratParker,whowasmassaginghisthroat.’Wiretheheadbackup.IthinkIburntoutthelocomotorsysteminthetorso,buttheheadandmemoryoughttobefunctionalwhenpoweredup.
’He’sbeenprotectingthealienfromthebeginning.Itriedtotellyou.’Shegesturedatthecorpse.ItwashardtostartthinkingoffellowcrewmemberAshasjustanotherpieceofequipment.’Heletitonboard,remember,againstregulations.’Herexpressiontwistedassheremembered.
’HewasusingKane’slifeasanexcuse,buthewasneverinterestedinKane.Heletthatthinggrowinsidehim,knewwhatwashappeningallthetime.AndhesetofftheemergencyairlockKlaxontosaveit.
’Butwhy?’Lambertwasstruggling,stillcouldn’tputitalltogether.
’I’monlyguessing,buttheonlyreasonIcancomeupwithforputtingarobotcrewmemberonboardwiththerestofusandnotlettingusknowaboutitatthetimeisthatsomeonewantedaslaveobservertoreportdevelopmentsbacktothem.’
